Croatoan Changes
by kirallie
Summary: AU. No pairings. What if something different had happened when Sam was exposed in Croatoan?


_Disclaimer: Supernatural isn't mine.  
__One shot with no Wincest, don't faint! _

Sam sat on the stool, a bandage pressed to his chest. He kept his eyes lowered, fighting tears, he couldn't look at them, didn't want to see the fear he knew would be on their faces. . The others surround him, Dean pacing angrily. "Doc, check his wound again, would you?" Dean asked but when she didn't move her growled. "Doctor!"

"What's she need to examine him for? You saw what happened."

"Did her blood actually enter your wound?" Dr. Lee asked nervously, trying to be calm and gentle and Sam glanced at her briefly.

"Come on, of course it did!"

"We don't know that for sure." Dean argued in his brothers' defence.

"We can't take a chance." Duane agreed and Dean glared.

"You know what we have to do." Mark snapped

"Nobody is shooting my brother." Dean snarled, tightening his grip on his gun.

"He isn't gonna be your brother much longer. You said it yourself."

"Nobody is shooting anyone!"

"You were gonna shoot me!"

"You don't shut your pie-hole, I still might!"

"Dean?" Sam called and Dean turned to his brother, recognising the pinched look as one of pain.

"Sam?" he moved to his side without a second thought and grasped his arm. Sam looked at him and then blinked sluggishly. "Easy Sammy, what's wrong?"

"Head….hurts…." Sam whimpered, leaning towards him and Dean wrapped an arm around him, letting Sam's head rest on his shoulder. Sam clutched at Dean's jacket and he looked at the doctor in alarm.

"This didn't happen with the others! Check him." He demanded and she nodded, grabbing her stethoscope and a blood pressure machine.

"His pulse rate is elevated, breathing's a bit laboured…..let's get him lying down."

Dean nodded and gently pushed Sam back, lying him down on the exam table even as Sam kept clutching at him. Sam shut his eyes; it felt like something was tearing his head apart. "It's okay Sam, just stay with me; you've got to hang on. You can beat this little brother." Dean whispered and Sam clung to his voice, struggling not to scream.

"He's burning up!" Doctor Lee exclaimed and then snapped at the others to get her ice and cold clothes. Sam's reaction was different enough that they did, wondering if somehow his immune system was fighting the virus. Sam's hands fell from Dean's jacket, his body going limp and Dean gasped in fear. "He's unconscious." Doctor Lee stated, knowing he had feared the worst. Sam needed a hospital, she didn't have half of what she needed but it would have to do. Dean stayed by Sam's side, whispering to him as the doctor worked and she let him. They didn't know what was happening, Sam could wake up fine or wake up as infected as the others or even not wake up at all.

Dean was still there the next morning when Sam began to show signs of waking. He hadn't slept all night and had refused to leave his side, the gun at his back a heavy weight. "Sam? That's it, come on little brother you can do it." Dean urged as Sam shifted. Glassy hazel finally cracked open, struggling to focus.

"D'n." Sam croaked and Dean held a glass of water to his lips.

"Sip slowly." He warned and Sam did. Dean frowned when he noticed Sam seemed to be having trouble focusing but it was probably the fever which seemed to be finally coming down. "How do you feel?"

"Hurts…tired." Sam mumbled and Dean nodded.

"Go back to sleep Sam, I'm here if you need anything." He promised, watching Sam's eyes fall closed.

"How is he?" Doctor Lee asked when she looked in an hour later.

"He woke up for a few minutes, drank some water."

"That's a good sign." She gave a small smile and Dean nodded, staring at Sam.

"But not enough to know if…..if he's still Sam." Dean whispered and she checked Sam over before leaving.

Sam woke up feeling totally fine if a little hungry and dehydrated. He blinked up at the ceiling and then turned his head, smiling when he saw Dean beside him, his head pillowed on his arms on the table Sam was lying on. He sat up slowly and then got off the examination table, testing everything worked alright. He slipped out of the room and looked around the clinic, finding Doctor Lee first. "Hey Doc." He greeted softly and she jumped a mile, hand over her heart.

"Sam? You scared me. Wait, what are you doing up? Where's Dean?" She asked suddenly wary and Sam smiled.

"Asleep, he stayed up the whole time didn't he?" Sam asked and she nodded, still watching him. "Is there any food around? I don't know how long I've been out but I'm starving."

"Just whatever's in the staff room fridge. How do you feel?"

"Just half starved and thirsty, no aches or pains of any kind." Sam assured her.

"And um…..mentally?" She asked and Sam blinked.

"You mean do I feel like going on a killing spree? Nope." Not against humans anyway. He could feel her fear and suspicion and it was a bit odd but he figured he'd get used to it. "Really, I'm fine." His stomach growled and he blushed slightly. "I better go get some food before my stomach gets any louder though." Sam found the staff room and dug through the fridge, hungrily eating.

"SAM!" Dean's scream made him bash his head on the door but then he stepped out of the room with an apple.

"What?" He asked and Dean stopped his mad run to stare at him with wide eyes. "Dean? You okay?"

"Sam?" Dean asked hesitantly and Sam nodded, biting hungrily into the apple. "Are you…."

"I'm fine Dean, just starving." Sam moved closer to him, still munching and saw Dean tense uncertainly. After all Beverly had managed to fool them, so had a certain nurse. Sam stopped in front of him and tossed the apple core aside, staring down at his big brother. He could feel his fear and hope, knew the gun tucked away at Dean's back held two bullets, one for each of them. Sam reached out and put his hand on Dean's shoulder, staring into his eyes. "I'm okay Dean, I'm still me. I'm not going to hurt you or anyone else here." Sam promised earnestly.

"Sam I….." Dean stumbled over his words, he wanted so badly to believe Sam was fine, that he'd somehow managed to fight off that virus or whatever it was but could he risk it? Sam smiled softly at him and Dean swallowed before moving in to hug his brother. He felt Sam relax in his arms and hug back tightly.

"I could hear you, it hurt so much but I could hear you. You wouldn't let me give up." Sam whispered and Dean blinked, he hadn't thought Sam could hear him as he begged his brother to stay with him. Sam's hand brushed his gun and Dean tensed. "There's two bullets in this, isn't there?" Sam asked, pulling back to look at Dean who looked away. "Dean….if anything happens…..I don't want you following me. One of us has to live to old age." Sam teased and Dean stared at him.

"It's going to be you Sam." Dean stated, Sam hadn't tried to take his gun….he was still Sammy. Sam's stomach growled and Dean laughed. "Come on, let's get you fed." Sam followed Dean but then stopped as he saw Duane. "Sam?" Dean called as Sam frowned at the younger man. "Sam!" Dean yelled in alarm as Sam moved, tackling Duane who cried out in shock. Dean pulled his gun but hesitated in aiming, not wanting to shoot Sam. "Sam let him go!" Mark and Doctor Lee emerged to stare at Sam in horror as he held Duane down.

"Demon." Sam snarled at Duane and Dean's eyes widened.

"What? Let me go!" Duane struggled.

"Christo." Dean whispered and Duane's eyes went black. "Its okay, Sam's okay." Dean told them, approaching and aiming at Duane. "Knew I should have shot you before." He glanced at Sam, seeing the rage in his eyes aimed at the demon and it was a bit frightening. Dean stumbled back as for a second Sam's eyes flashed yellow and then the demon was screaming, writhing beneath him as it was forced out of Duane and back to hell. Sam sat back and then checked Duane's pulse before looking up at Dean and shaking his head, he was dead. Dean shakily aimed his gun at Sam, watching his brother's eyes go wide in shock.

"Dean?" Sam called, slowly getting off the body, hands out.

"Don't…..you get out of my brother you bastard." Dean snapped and Sam frowned.

"What?"

"I saw your eyes change!" Dean yelled and Sam stepped back slightly from the force of his brother's rage.

"Dean it's me. Christo." Sam said and nothing happened. "See? Not possessed or anything." Dean's gun lowered slightly.

"Sammy?" Dean asked and Sam nodded, eyes pleading and Dean couldn't keep his gun on him. "How…how'd you know? Damn it how did you send it back without an exorcism?"

"I…I don't know, I just knew how. Like I know you're mad and scared and wondering if you need those two bullets." Sam admitted softly. "I think…I think whatever that virus thing is instead of turning me into a killing monster, maybe it just activated more powers somehow?" Sam answered too softly for the others to hear.

Dean stared at him, eyes searching Sam's for some sign and then he put his gun away. "Try to not give me anymore heart attacks? Please?" Dean tried to tease and Sam smiled, nodding. Sam took a half step towards him and Dean held his ground, Sam's smile widened in response, his body relaxing when his brother didn't recoil from him.

"What the hell is going on?" Mark demanded and Dean turned to look at him.

"That wasn't Duane; it was a demon wearing his body. Sam sent it back to hell. Now let's work on getting out of here."

* * *

Sam helped Mark load up supplies, able to feel the Sergeant watching him from the corner of his eye. "I'm not going to suddenly go nuts." Sam stated and the man flinched slightly. "You saw my blood results, I'm clean." Because he had made sure that was what they saw. Mark nodded nervously and Sam clapped his shoulder in friendship, a single drop of blood from his finger seeping into the man's skin. Sam grinned and went into the medical centre as Mark stood frozen, eyes blank as the blood worked into his system. The town was empty except for the four of them and the word Croatoan carved into a telephone poll which was more than a little creepy. Sam glanced back and saw Mark shake his head and go back to work. Sam did the same with the doctor who was remaining behind to get the authorities and then went to join Dean. "You okay?" He asked and Dean started slightly but then nodded. "You sure?" Sam asked, moving closer to where Dean was staring at the exam table.

Dean traced his hand over the table and closed his eyes, remembering Sam lying on it so still. "It was so close….."

"Dean don't, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." Sam promised, reaching out to tug at Dean's arm, making him turn away from the table. "We survived Dean and now we're going to leave and I don't know, take a few days off?" Sam offered and Dean blinked focusing on him.

"You're right, let's go." Dean agreed, walking out without looking back.

* * *

Sam woke up and looked around, what the hell had happened? And where was he? He stretched his powers out, reaching out for his brother and was relieved to find him worried but unhurt, over a hundred miles away. He let go of his brother's presence and reached out for the others, his army. What had started with just two people had spread to hundreds over the last few months, hundreds of humans now capable of killing demons and all loyal to him. And that was exactly what they suddenly began to do, all of them left their lives and began eradicating every demon or human killing supernatural creature they could find. Sam got up and began looking around, he knew who was responsible, he could feel him and it made his skin crawl.

"Help!" A voice called and Sam headed that way, not surprised to find Andy wandering around. Andy started babbling at him and Sam listened with half an ear as they kept exploring. He wanted to find the demon and kill it but doubted it would be that easy. Instead they found a young woman locked in a shed and let her out. They soon found everyone and Sam winced in sympathy at hearing what Lily's power was. Finding Lily dead a few hours later was a shock but also suspicious, especially certain others reaction to it. Sam knew better than to trust any of them, even Andy but he hoped they could all get out alive and safe.

Hours later Sam settled into a chair behind the salt lines they'd laid and closed his eyes to sleep only to find himself face to face with the demon that had ruined his family's lives. He knew it was a dream but it gave him what he needed to find him and Sam had to fight to keep his expression bland. He clenched his hands into fists as he watched his mother die; he'd already had suspicions about his blood ever since being infected. So while the demon went on about his even more pathetic version of Survivor, seriously who had come up with that idiotic wast of time, Sam used the time to carefully track the dream back to where the demon was hiding. Just as the dream ended he found it.

Seeing Andy torn apart he didn't feel at all bad about telekinetically snapping Ava's neck, undefeated indeed. She'd been a pawn to the demon while thinking she was oh so important and special. It took barely a thought to realise Jake intended to win the contest however he could so he suffered a similar fate and then Sam sat down to wait, able to feel Dean approaching.

"Sam!" Dean yelled and Sam got up.

"Over here Dean." He answered, seeing the relief on his brother's face he smiled and then his big brother was holding him tight and Sam hugged him back.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again! And not letting me know immediately that you were okay?"

"Sorry, was a little busy trying to figure things out at the time."

"Anyone else here?"

"No one living. Let's get out of here; I know where the demon's hiding."

"You sure you can take him. The demons you've killed are lightweights compared."

"I know Dean and I know you'll have my back." Sam stared at him and Dean nodded, he would always have Sam's back, weird powers or not.

"Let's finish this." Dean led him back to the Impala and Sam sank happily into his seat, giving Dean directions as they went. Once there they looked over the graveyard as they moved through it, heading to the other side where Sam could sense him.

Sam nodded at Dean and then moved into the demon's sight. "So do you have a name or do I just call you bastard?" Sam asked before lashing out with his mind. The demon staggered but attacked back and soon they were fighting a battle Dean couldn't help in. All he could do was watch Sam's back but then…was it?

Dean began to move, inch by inch closer to what he'd spotted. If he could just get to it before the demon noticed. Dean lunged as he heard Sam cry out in pain and the thud of a body; he rolled and came up, aiming at the demon who was bleeding from Sam's attack. Without a thought a pulled the trigger and yellow eyes widened in shock as the bullet hit right in the body's heart. He watched as the demon convulsed and then collapsed, dead. "Sam!" He scrambled up, looking for his brother and then e saw him, crumpled against a tree. Dean raced to his side and very carefully felt for a pulse. "Please Sammy." He whispered and then relaxed when he found Sam's pulse. Ever so carefully he felt for broken bones and then tenderly rolled Sam over, seeing the blood on his face from a nosebleed. He wiped the blood away and cradled his brother close. "Come on kiddo, we did it, he's dead. Wake up Sam." Dean pleaded as Sam continued to lay still and quiet in his arms.

It was several hours before Sam began to stir and Dean felt a flood of relief as he looked down at slowly opening hazel eyes. "De'n?" Sam blinked and Dean grinned.

"I've got you kiddo, we did it, the demon's dead." Dean told him and Sam nodded tiredly. "Hey, don't sleep! Need you to stay awake so we can get out of here." Sam whined but forced his eyes open, letting Dean help him up and then leaning on him as they stumbled back through the old graveyard and back to the Impala. Sam fell asleep in the passenger seat after drinking some water and Dean smiled at the sight of Sam looking so young and innocent. He covered his little brother with his own jacket and then got in to drive. The demon may be dead but there were plenty others out there for them to kill. They would keep hunting until they were all gone, just the two of them. They didn't need anyone else, not with how people tended to react to Sam's abilities. But Dean knew his brother, knew he was a hunter no matter what. He had everything he needed right here, his brother and his car and with the demon gone things would be better for them now.

_The End. _


End file.
